I chose to read this book not through an interest in the life and times of Admiral von Tirpitz, but through an interest in the evolution of the Imerial German Navy pre-WWI. However, after completing the book, I genuinely enjoyed both aspects of the book!

Admiral von Tirpitz developed into a very interesting and powerful character in Wilhelm II's Germany in the pre-war days. He became involved in all facets of the navy: planning, policy, tactics, strategy and most of all controlling the money. This allowed him to grow the Imperial fleet. Von Tirpitz's greatest strengths proved to be his ability to work with the Reichstag (i.e. get funding) and to somewhat contol the Kaiser (as much as anyone could control Wilhelm II).

There is a great deal of information available regarding the Naval race between Britain and Germany leading up to the war. However, this is the best source of information on that subject I have come across. Von Tirpitz was the driving force behind the growth of Germany's fleet, and the fleet was the source of the power von Tirpitz attained in the same period. They are like the two sides of the same coin.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWI, naval matters, Imperial Germany, and so on........A solid 5 Stars from me. ( )

Wikipedia in English (1)

Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz (1849–1930) was the principal force behind the rise of the German Imperial Navy prior to World War I, challenging Great Britain’s command of the seas. As State Secretary of the Imperial Naval Office from 1897 to 1916, Tirpitz wielded great power and influence over the national agenda during that crucial period. By the time he had risen to high office, Tirpitz was well equipped to use his position as a platform from which to dominate German defense policy. Though he was cool to the potential of the U-boat, he enthusiastically supported a torpedo boat branch of the navy and began an ambitious building program for battleships and battle cruisers. Based on exhaustive archival research, including new material from family papers, Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy is the first extended study in English of this germinal figure in the growth of the modern navy.